Statins do not appear to affect kidney function in older adults
A post hoc analysis of data from a randomized trial found no association between statin use and change in estimated glomerular filtration rate, urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio, or incident chronic kidney disease in adults ages 65 years or older.
Statin use in older adults does not appear to be associated with changes in kidney function, a recent study found.
Researchers performed a post hoc analysis of data from the ASPirin in Reducing Events in the Elderly (ASPREE) trial to examine the association between statin use and any changes in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) in older adults with and without chronic kidney disease (CKD) at baseline. The main outcome measures were changes in eGFR and UACR over time between those who did and did not take statins at baseline, as well as in those who took rosuvastatin versus those who took other statins. The results were published Dec. 18 by the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
Overall, 18,056 participants ages 65 years and older from the U.S. and Australia were included in the study, 3,802 (21.2%) with CKD at baseline and 14,254 (78.9%) without. Their median ages were 73.6 years and 75.7 years, respectively. Statin use at baseline was more common in patients with CKD than in those without (36.7% vs. 30.0%). Among all participants taking statins, atorvastatin was the most common (38%), followed by simvastatin (29%) and rosuvastatin (26%). No association was seen between statin use and change in eGFR or UACR in participants with or without CKD at baseline, or in incident CKD in those without it at baseline (P>0.05 for all). There were also no associations found in subgroup analyses stratified by age, sex, diabetes, country, and frailty status, and no association noted between rosuvastatin and any of the main study outcomes.
The researchers noted that the study included fewer participants without CKD at baseline than with it and a significant proportion of participants with end-stage kidney disease requiring dialysis, among other limitations. They concluded that statin use was not associated with changes in kidney function over time in older adults with or without CKD and that no increased risk was seen with rosuvastatin versus other statins.
“While our findings did not uncover a relationship between statin use and improved kidney health, the data does support the proposal that use of statins in this population is safe, as it relates to kidney health,” the researchers wrote. “These findings do not support the use of statins for preservation of kidney function or prevention of kidney disease, but also suggest that providers should not be limited by concerns related to potential kidney harm when deciding to use statins for other indications.”